satan

C2+ Topic:Word Formation & Derivatives

Also spelled sattan

US /ˈseɪtən/ UK /ˈseɪtən/ See IPA manual

Meanings

1

noun
the devil; the chief embodiment of evil in several religions

In the medieval play Satan tempts the hero into sin.

Thesaurus

Synonyms

1 noun · the devil; the chief... devilluciferfiend tempter adversary

Opposites

god

Word family

Derived forms satanicsatanism

Related forms satanicsatanism

Simplified etymology

Satan has been used in English as a name for the Devil since Old English times. It ultimately comes from Hebrew sātān, literally “adversary.”

Etymology

From Old English Satan, via Late Latin and Greek Satanas, from Hebrew śāṭān ('adversary, accuser'), from the verb śāṭan ('to oppose, accuse').

Satanas Late Latin Satanâs Ancient Greek

View etymology graph ->

Topics

Word Formation & Derivatives General Vocabulary

External links

# satan

**Type:** Word
**Level:** C2+
**Part of speech:** noun
**IPA (US):** /ˈseɪtən/
**IPA (UK):** /ˈseɪtən/

## Meanings
1. the devil; the chief embodiment of evil in several religions

## Examples
- In the medieval play Satan tempts the hero into sin.

## Synonyms
- devil
- lucifer
- fiend
- tempter
- adversary

## Antonyms
- god

## Derived Forms
- satanic
- satanism

## Related Forms
- satanic
- satanism

## Roots and Affixes
- Root: Satanas
- Root: Satanâs

## Etymology
From Old English Satan, via Late Latin and Greek Satanas, from Hebrew śāṭān ('adversary, accuser'), from the verb śāṭan ('to oppose, accuse').

## AI Etymology
Satan comes from Old English Satan, via Late Latin and Greek Satanas, from Hebrew śāṭān ('adversary, accuser'), from the verb śāṭan ('to oppose, accuse'). The historical chain includes Late Latin Satanas and Ancient Greek Satanâs. The quoted older senses, "adversary, accuser" and "to oppose, accuse", supply the semantic anchors for satan. The formation is best read as borrowed: the word satan carries its older form-history into a compact English lexical shape. In present English it is used as a noun, "the devil; the chief embodiment of evil in several religions". English derivatives include satanic and satanism; related English forms include satanic and satanism. The result is a noun whose etymology preserves both the older form and the later English specialization.

## Topics
- Word Formation & Derivatives
- General Vocabulary

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